Material conveyance system for feeding workpieces to a processing tool

ABSTRACT

A material conveyance system usable for feeding workpieces formed of sheet material to a processing tool, such as a punch or perforator, and for extracting the workpieces therefrom. The workpieces are transported from a conveyor inlet station by pairs of endless belts arranged to hold the workpieces firmly between them until released at a transfer location onto a conveyor table horizontally aligned with the processing tool. Positioning members then assist insertion of the workpieces into the processing tool and align the workpieces for processing. The workpieces are extracted from the processing tool by the action of one of the pairs of endless belts circulating around a reciprocating frame arranged directly above and parallel to the conveyor table and are then transported rearward to a finished parts storage.

United States Patent [191 Kugler [4 1 Feb. 5, 1974 MATERIAL CONVEYANCESYSTEM FOR FEEDING WORKPIECES TO A PROCESSING TOOL [76] lnventor: WalterKugler, Adolf-Feucht-Weg,

Neuffen/Wurtt, Germany [22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 319,333

52 U.S.Cl 198/19, 198/165, 271/D1G.9 51 Int. Cl B23q 7/00 581 Field ofSearch ..198/19,160,165;271/3,7,

271/1310v 7, DIG. 9,50

Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Joseph E. Valenza [57]ABSTRACT A material conveyance system usable for feeding workpiecesformed of sheet material to a processing tool, such as a punch orperforator, and for extracting the workpieces therefrom. The workpiecesare transported from a conveyor inlet station by pairs of endless beltsarranged to hold the workpieces firmly between them until released at atransfer location onto a conveyor table horizontally aligned with theprocessing tool. Positioning members then assist insertion of theworkpieces into the processing tool and align the workpieces forprocessing. The workpieces are extracted from the processing tool by theaction of one of the pairs of endless belts circulating around areciprocating frame arranged directly above and parallel to the conveyortable and are then transported rearward to a finished parts storage.

14 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUFEB slam SHEET 1 0F 2 MATERIALCONVEYANCE SYSTEM FOR FEEDING WORKPIECES TO A PROCESSING TOOL Theinvention relates generally to a material conveyance system andparticularly to an apparatus for feeding workpieces formed of sheetmaterial (metal, plastic, paper, etc.) into a processing tool, such as apunch, perforator or the like, in which the workpieces are inserted intothe work tool and withdrawn therefrom from one and the same side.

Due to economic considerations, machines of the above type arefrequently fed by manual means. Known devices for mechanizing thisfeeding operation have been relatively complex and expensive and theperformance thereof often unsatisfactory.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention toprovide an apparatus for automatically feeding and extracting workpiecesformed of sheet material to and from a processing tool, such as a punchor perforator, which is versatile, efficient, and of relatively simpleconstruction.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatusfor conveying workpieces to and from a processing tool in which twopairs of endless belts circulate around a system of driven pulleys andidler rollers in two vertical, parallel planes, the distance between theplanes, and therefore between the belts, being adjustable to accommodateworkpieces of different sizes.

An aspect of the present invention resides in the provision of amaterial conveyance system and particularly an apparatus for forwardingand extracting workpieces of a sheet-like nature to and from aprocessing tool. The system and apparatus includes a machine support orhousing and a longitudinally extending conveyor arrangement mounted tothe support in horizontal alignment with the processing tool. There isfurther included a first and a second endless belt conveyor system forcooperating between a workpiece inlet and a transfer station establishedby the two systems, one belt of the first and of the second system beingpositioned between said stations coextensive vertically closely aboveeach other to establish a vertical spacing therebetween which is onlysufficient to retain the sheet-like workpiece under pressure betweenthese belts. The spacing between the belts increases at the transferstation so that the workpiece is released thereat onto the tool. Alongitudinally reciprocating workpiece retracting frame is disposedabove the conveyor arrangement with one of the belts extending from thetransfer station between and coextensive with and in close contact tothe conveyor arrangement and the frame.

For a better understanding of the present invention,

together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the material conveyance system withthe side cover plate removed;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.1; and

FIGS. 3, 4 and are schematic views shown in the same direction as FIG. Iand illustrating the material conveyance system in a plurality ofoperating positions.

Referring now to the drawings, a material conveyance system for feedingand extracting workpieces W to and from an interchangeable processingtool 3, such as a punch, is shown mounted in a machine frame or support23 with a conveyor table 2 disposed in horizontal alignment with thetool 3 to feed and receive the workpieces W therefrom. The conveyortable 2 is provided with a plurality of freely rotatable rollers 1arranged in two parallel rows disposed in a horizontal plane and whichform the surface of the table 2. Directly above and parallel to thetable 2 is a frame 4 arranged for reciprocating motion along the path oftravel of the workpieces W adjacent to the table 2. The frame 4 has apair of idler rollers 5 mounted at its forward end and a similar pair ofrollers 6 mounted at the opposite end thereof.

Above the reciprocating frame 4 is a system of driven pulleys and idlerrollers arranged in such a manner that two pairs of endless belts l4,15, operating as hereinafter described, circulate in two parallel,vertical planes. One endless belt 15, of a pair of endless belts,circulates over a driven pulley 7, constituting a turn station whichchanges the direction of the belts approximately and around idlerrollers 13, 17, 18 which are disposed to direct the belt 15 in a pathadjacent to the reciprocating frame 4 in the section between the pulley7 and the roller 17, and away from other members of the conveyancesystem to a workpiece inlet station 10 adjacent to the roller 13 andthence back over the pulley 7. One endless belt 14 of another pair ofendless belts circulates over and in contact with the belt 15 around thepulley 7 and thence, in succession, around the roller 5 and the roller 6of the frame 4, a plurality of idler rollers 16, an idler roller 12adjacent to the inlet 10, and back over the belt 15 and around thepulley 7. A second set of endless belts 14, 15 is arranged to circulatearound another set of idler rollers and a driven pulley in a manneridentical to that just described. The belts 14, 15 circulate in contactwith each other, as shown in FIG. 1, from a point adjacent to the inlet10 continuing around the pulleys 7 to a workpiece transfer station orlocation 21 at the forward end of the table 2. The distance between thepulleys 7 is adjustable to accommodate workpieces of a different size.

The workpiece W is aligned after insertion into the work tool 3 by alongitudinal positioning member 20,

located between the two rows of rollers 1 adjacent to the transferlocation 21, which engages the rear edge of the workpiece W and pushesit completely into the tool 3. The member 20 is connected to a parallelcrank drive means 22 located below the table 2 and pivotably mounted tothe frame 23. Transverse alignment of the workpiece W with thecenterline of the feed path is provided by transverse positioningmembers 25, 26 arranged in an opposing relationship relative to theworkpiece W at the transfer location 21. The distance between themembers 25, 26 is adjustable by means of two threaded shafts 27 whichare driven in reciprocating and opposing motions by cranks 28, 29pivotably mounted to the frame 23. The cranks 28, 29 are connected tothe shafts 27 at one common end and are connected at their other commonend by a rod 30.

Mounted at the base of the frame 23 is an electric motor 31 driving acontrol shaft 33, transversely mounted to the frame 23, by means of abelt pulley or chain sprocket 32. Non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 33are a cam 34 and a crank arm 36. The crank arm 36 is pivotably connectedat its forward end to a linkage 39 which is in turn connected to theparallel crank drive 22 of the member 20. The crank arm 36 is rigidlyattached at its rearward end to the linkage 19 which imparts thelongitudinal reciprocating motion to the frame 4. Also pivotablyattached to the crank arm 36 at its approximate mid-section is anotherlinkage 40 connecting to the rod 30 which drives the positioning members25, 26 through the cranks 28, 29 and the threaded rods 27. The camfollower 38 is held against the cam 34 by the tension of a spring 37mounted between the arm 36 and the frame 23. Since the linkages 19, 39,40 are driven by the arm 36, the members connected thereto operate insynchronism. The crank 35, also mounted on the shaft 33, is connectedthrough a linkage rod 50 to an eccentric drive 51 of the processing tool3. The tool 3 can be, for example, a stamping tool interchangeablyattached to the frame 23. The tool 3 is thus driven in synchronism withother operating members of the feed apparatus. The inlet comprises therollers 13 and opposing rollers 11 whose opening and closing motions arealso synchronized with the operation of the other machine componentssuch as the positioning members. The rollers 11 are mounted on one armof a double-arm lever 44 which is pivotably mounted to the frame 23 andconnected by a rod 43 to a cam drive 41. The cam drive 41 is driven by asprocket chain 42 from shaft 33 in a lzl ratio.

The two pulleys 7 are also driven from the shaft 33 by a chain drivemeans consisting of a sprocket 45 nonrotatably mounted on the shaft 46,an endless chain 48, a plurality of rotatable deflecting wheels 49, anda sprocket 47 non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 33.

The feed apparatus operates as follows:

The workpieces W are passed from a stack by a suitable pick-up device ofany known type, not shown, to the conveyor inlet 10 and seized insequence between the feed rollers 11 and the rollers 13. The workpiecesW are then inserted at spaced intervals between the two pairs of belts14, circulating over the rollers 12, 13. As shown in FIG. 5, the belts14, 15 hold the workpieces W firmly between them to transport themaround the pulleys 7 and onto the transfer location 21 where they areinjected into the tool 3. The positioning members and 25, 26 then pushthe workpieces W firmly into the tool 3 and align them for processingtherein as shown in FIG. 4.

After the member 20 moves rearward to its starting position below thesurface of feed table 2, the reciprocating frame 4 is moved from itsrearward position to its forward position, as shown in FIG. 5, so thatthe belt pair 14 which passes around the frame 4 and movably travelswith it bears against the portion of the Workpiece W projecting out ofthe tool 3. The workpieces W are thus extracted from the tool 3 rearwardover the table 2 to a storage shelf 53 of a known type at the rear endof the device. During this extraction operation, the frame 4 returns toits rearward position to clear the transfer location 21 for insertion ofanother workpiece. This ensures rapid feeding of the workpieces and ahigh output from the machine.

The number of belts arranged side by side is governed by the width andstiffness of the workpieces, i.e., more than two belts may be provided.

While there have been described what are at present considered to be thepreferred embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the invention, and it is aimed,therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes andmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A material conveyance system and particularly an apparatus forfeeding and extracting workpieces of sheet-like material to and from aprocessing tool comprising:

a machine support;

longitudinally extending conveyor means mounted to said support inhorizontal alignment with said processing tool;

a first and a second endless belt conveyor system established andadapted for cooperating between a workpiece inlet and a transferstation, one belt of the first and of the second system being positionedbetween said stations co-extensive vertically closely above each otherestablishing a vertical spacing therebetween only sufficient to retain asheet-like workpiece under pressure, the spacing between said beltsincreasing at said transfer station for releasing said workpiece ontosaid tool; and a longitudinally reciprocating workpiece retracting framedisposed above said conveyor means, one of said belts extending fromsaid transfer station between and co-extensive with'and in close contactto said conveyor means and frame.

2. A material conveyance system according to claim 1, wherein saidconveyor means is a stationary conveyor table.

3. A material conveyance system according to claim 2, wherein saidconveyor table is provided with a plurality of freely rotatable rollersarranged in two parallel rows which form the surface of said table.

4. A material conveyance system according to claim 1, wherein eachendless belt conveyor system comprises a pair of belts extendingparallel but spaced transversely in the direction of travel.

5. A material conveyance system according to claim 4, and a turn stationbetween said inlet and transfer stations, effective to change thedirection of said belts about g 6. A material conveyance systemaccording to claim 5, wherein said cooperating belts ahead of and pastsaid turn station extend horizontally.

7. A material conveyance system according to claim 1, and a longitudinalpositioning member pivotably mounted on said support at said transferstation, and a driven linkage to sequentially move said longitudinalpositioning member horizontally against the workpiece and, during theworkpiece withdrawal movement, out of the withdrawal path of saidworkpiece.

8. A material conveyance system according to claim 7, and a transversepositioning member pivotably mounted on said support on each side ofsaid workpiece adjacent to said transfer station, and a driven linkageto align said workpiece with the center line of the feed path of saidworkpieces.

9. A material conveyance system according to claim 1, wherein said inletstation comprises two pairs of idler rollers arranged one above theother in a staggered relationship, with each pair of said rollerseffecting a 180 turn of one pair of said belts, and a pair of feedrollers pivotably mounted to said frame, said feed rollers beingpivotably movable by a driven linkage and effective to sequentially feedsaid workpieces to said conveyance system.

10. A material conveyance system according to claim 1, wherein saidframe is provided with a pair of idler rollers at the forward endthereof adjacent to said transfer station and another pair of idlerrollers at the rearward end thereof for supporting and guiding a pair ofsaid belts in close proximity to said conveyor means, and a drivenlinkage system connected to said frame to impart said reciprocatingmotion to said frame.

1 l. A material conveyance system according to claim 8, and acontinuously driven control shaft rotatably mounted on said machinesupport in a transverse position below said conveyor means; said shaftbeing connected by a cam, crank arm, and linkage means to saidlongitudinal positioning member, said transverse positioning member, andsaid frame; said shaft with said cam, crank arm, and linkage means beingeffective to synchronously operate the positioning members and thedisplaceable frame.

12. A material conveyance system according to claim 1, wherein saidprocessing tool is interchangeably mounted on said machine frame and isprovided with a driven linkage for synchronous operation with saidlongitudinal and transverse positioning members.

13. A material conveyance system according to claim 9, wherein said feedrollers are pivotably movable in synchronism with said processing tool,said positioning members, and said displaceable frame by a cam drive,linkage, and endless chain means driven from said control shaft.

14. A material conveyance system according to claim 4, wherein the upperpair of said endless belts extending from said turn station to saidtransfer station is the lower pair of said endless belts in the sectionbetween saidinlet and turn stations.

1. A material conveyance system and particularly an apparatus forfeeding and extracting wOrkpieces of sheet-like material to and from aprocessing tool comprising: a machine support; longitudinally extendingconveyor means mounted to said support in horizontal alignment with saidprocessing tool; a first and a second endless belt conveyor systemestablished and adapted for cooperating between a workpiece inlet and atransfer station, one belt of the first and of the second system beingpositioned between said stations co-extensive vertically closely aboveeach other establishing a vertical spacing therebetween only sufficientto retain a sheet-like workpiece under pressure, the spacing betweensaid belts increasing at said transfer station for releasing saidworkpiece onto said tool; and a longitudinally reciprocating workpieceretracting frame disposed above said conveyor means, one of said beltsextending from said transfer station between and co-extensive with andin close contact to said conveyor means and frame.
 2. A materialconveyance system according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor means is astationary conveyor table.
 3. A material conveyance system according toclaim 2, wherein said conveyor table is provided with a plurality offreely rotatable rollers arranged in two parallel rows which form thesurface of said table.
 4. A material conveyance system according toclaim 1, wherein each endless belt conveyor system comprises a pair ofbelts extending parallel but spaced transversely in the direction oftravel.
 5. A material conveyance system according to claim 4, and a turnstation between said inlet and transfer stations, effective to changethe direction of said belts about 180*.
 6. A material conveyance systemaccording to claim 5, wherein said cooperating belts ahead of and pastsaid turn station extend horizontally.
 7. A material conveyance systemaccording to claim 1, and a longitudinal positioning member pivotablymounted on said support at said transfer station, and a driven linkageto sequentially move said longitudinal positioning member horizontallyagainst the workpiece and, during the workpiece withdrawal movement, outof the withdrawal path of said workpiece.
 8. A material conveyancesystem according to claim 7, and a transverse positioning memberpivotably mounted on said support on each side of said workpieceadjacent to said transfer station, and a driven linkage to align saidworkpiece with the center line of the feed path of said workpieces.
 9. Amaterial conveyance system according to claim 1, wherein said inletstation comprises two pairs of idler rollers arranged one above theother in a staggered relationship, with each pair of said rollerseffecting a 180* turn of one pair of said belts, and a pair of feedrollers pivotably mounted to said frame, said feed rollers beingpivotably movable by a driven linkage and effective to sequentially feedsaid workpieces to said conveyance system.
 10. A material conveyancesystem according to claim 1, wherein said frame is provided with a pairof idler rollers at the forward end thereof adjacent to said transferstation and another pair of idler rollers at the rearward end thereoffor supporting and guiding a pair of said belts in close proximity tosaid conveyor means, and a driven linkage system connected to said frameto impart said reciprocating motion to said frame.
 11. A materialconveyance system according to claim 8, and a continuously drivencontrol shaft rotatably mounted on said machine support in a transverseposition below said conveyor means; said shaft being connected by a cam,crank arm, and linkage means to said longitudinal positioning member,said transverse positioning member, and said frame; said shaft with saidcam, crank arm, and linkage means being effective to synchronouslyoperate the positioning members and the displaceable frame.
 12. Amaterial conveyance system according to claim 1, wherein said processingtool is interchangeably mounted on said machine frame and is providedwith a driven linkage For synchronous operation with said longitudinaland transverse positioning members.
 13. A material conveyance systemaccording to claim 9, wherein said feed rollers are pivotably movable insynchronism with said processing tool, said positioning members, andsaid displaceable frame by a cam drive, linkage, and endless chain meansdriven from said control shaft.
 14. A material conveyance systemaccording to claim 4, wherein the upper pair of said endless beltsextending from said turn station to said transfer station is the lowerpair of said endless belts in the section between said inlet and turnstations.